KLM launches Family Updates on WhatsApp

Summary

Amstelveen, the Netherlands, 13 December 2018 – Good news for all mums, dads, grandmas, grandpas, and friends of KLM passengers. Today KLM launches Family Updates on WhatsApp. The new service lets passengers start a WhatsApp group to keep friends and family up to date about their flight status. This way, KLM meets the needs and wishes of its customers to reassure the home front and keep them informed – as soon as there is an update.

KLM Family Updates

KLM Family Updates

KLM passengers who receive their boarding pass via WhatsApp will get an invite to use this latest KLM WhatsApp service, free of charge. KLM will then send a message to the friends and family of participating passengers as soon as the flight has departed. Immediately after landing – even before the passenger has Wi-Fi or data roaming – the home front will receive another notification. If a flight is delayed, the group members will be informed as well. In addition to these proactive automated messages, group members can also ask KLM about the flight’s progress. With this service, KLM wants to make their passengers’ journey easier and hopes the home front finds more peace of mind.

KLM is the first airline to offer a WhatsApp service for customers and their inner circle. Currently, it is only available in English. If the service proves successful, KLM will extend it to other social media channels and languages.

KLM uses Artificial Intelligence to understand the questions it receives via an @KLM message. KLM cannot read the messages that group members send each other. After sending the notification that the passenger has arrived at its destination, KLM will leave the group. The WhatsApp group will remain active so members can share holiday photos and updates. All messages are protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.

KLM on WhatsApp

KLM has been communicating through WhatsApp since September of 2017. Customers can ask KLM questions through a verified WhatsApp business account. On request, here the airline also sends passengers their booking confirmation, check-in notification, boarding passes, and other flight information. Via WhatsApp, KLM sends more than 10,000 boarding passes each day. KLM receives about 35,000 service requests through social media channels each week. More than half come in through WhatsApp.

KLM has been a pioneer in social media services and campaigns since 2009. We have more than 28 million friends and followers on a variety of social media. Through these channels, KLM receives more than 180,000 messages a week, 35,000 of which are questions or comments. The world’s largest social media team, consisting of 360 service staff, respond to the messages personally. KLM offers customers support 24/7 on WhatsApp,Facebook Messenger, Twitter, WeChat, and KakaoTalk in Dutch, English, German, Spanish,Portuguese, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. KLM was the world’s first airline to offer its customers flight documents and status updates via WhatsApp, Messenger, and Twitter. What’s more, it was the first western airline to use the Chinese social media channel WeChat.